The term, "I feel depressed" is one that we have all uttered at some point in our lives. It's usually because we are feeling particulalry sad or down about something. Our spirits and mood are low. It is only when these feelings persist that "feeling depressed" might crossover into the medical definition of the word depression.
Depression is actually a very common disorder. When taken in conjunction with anxiety, depression is the most common mental disorder in England, suffered by 9.7 per cent of the population (The Health & Social Care Information Centre 2009). In addition, the ONS found that one in ten people in Britain will suffer from depression at any one time.
The reason why depression and anxiety are sometimes combined in survey findings and research such as this is that anxiety is often systematic of depression. Having said that, depression can conversely be a symptom of an anxiety disorder and this in turn can make diagnosis tricky. Indeed, the list of symptoms for depression is long and sometimes vague. For instance, symptoms can include insomnia, feeling sad and teary, low self-esteem, losing interest in your surroundings, lack of sex drive and weight loss or weight gain.
But the truth is, we all experience some of these things at some point in our lives. Does this mean we are depressed? And when should we take action? The answer to this is to evaluate how often you feel this way. Feeling occasionally tearful is normal, but if you feel a number of these symptoms everyday for two weeks than book an appointment to see your GP.
There are a number of wide-ranging treatments for depression and the one you get is partially dependent on how your depression has manifested and how severe your symptoms are. There has been talk of a genetic basis to depression, but so far this has only been apparent in manic depression. However, if you have family members who have suffered from depression, you are more likely to suffer from it too.
Further causes of depression include major life events such as moving house, bereavement and the end of a relationship. The common factor here is a stressful change to routine. Other causes include poor diet as some foods are now suspected of contributing to low moods. In conjunction with this, a lack of exercise can contribute to depression. Certain street drugs and pharmaceutical drugs can also have side effects that include depression.
Diagnosing depression usually factors in the patient's medical history and their current symptoms. This diagnosis should have an affect on the type of treatment offered. Anti-depressants are the most common form of treatment, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). However, these usually help more in cases of severe depression. For milder forms of depression there are many other types of treatment available that do not involve drugs.
Sometimes a doctor will simply monitor your progress over a short period, as often symptoms of depression can clear up after a few weeks. Talking therapies are also popular and these are available in many forms. For instance, cognitive behaviour therapy is a pro-active talking therapy which aims to change your behaviour and negative thinking through mental exercises. Guided self help therapy usually involves a course of self help books read under the guidance of a healthcare professional. Some talking therapy, such as psychotherapy is used in conjunction with medication and involves deep analysis and going back over childhood memories. Treatments can be offered over a number of weeks, months or longer depending on how intense the depressive symptoms are. The key to obtaining proper treatment is to seek help as soon as you become concerned.
Depression is actually a very common disorder. When taken in conjunction with anxiety, depression is the most common mental disorder in England, suffered by 9.7 per cent of the population (The Health & Social Care Information Centre 2009). In addition, the ONS found that one in ten people in Britain will suffer from depression at any one time.
The reason why depression and anxiety are sometimes combined in survey findings and research such as this is that anxiety is often systematic of depression. Having said that, depression can conversely be a symptom of an anxiety disorder and this in turn can make diagnosis tricky. Indeed, the list of symptoms for depression is long and sometimes vague. For instance, symptoms can include insomnia, feeling sad and teary, low self-esteem, losing interest in your surroundings, lack of sex drive and weight loss or weight gain.
But the truth is, we all experience some of these things at some point in our lives. Does this mean we are depressed? And when should we take action? The answer to this is to evaluate how often you feel this way. Feeling occasionally tearful is normal, but if you feel a number of these symptoms everyday for two weeks than book an appointment to see your GP.
There are a number of wide-ranging treatments for depression and the one you get is partially dependent on how your depression has manifested and how severe your symptoms are. There has been talk of a genetic basis to depression, but so far this has only been apparent in manic depression. However, if you have family members who have suffered from depression, you are more likely to suffer from it too.
Further causes of depression include major life events such as moving house, bereavement and the end of a relationship. The common factor here is a stressful change to routine. Other causes include poor diet as some foods are now suspected of contributing to low moods. In conjunction with this, a lack of exercise can contribute to depression. Certain street drugs and pharmaceutical drugs can also have side effects that include depression.
Diagnosing depression usually factors in the patient's medical history and their current symptoms. This diagnosis should have an affect on the type of treatment offered. Anti-depressants are the most common form of treatment, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). However, these usually help more in cases of severe depression. For milder forms of depression there are many other types of treatment available that do not involve drugs.
Sometimes a doctor will simply monitor your progress over a short period, as often symptoms of depression can clear up after a few weeks. Talking therapies are also popular and these are available in many forms. For instance, cognitive behaviour therapy is a pro-active talking therapy which aims to change your behaviour and negative thinking through mental exercises. Guided self help therapy usually involves a course of self help books read under the guidance of a healthcare professional. Some talking therapy, such as psychotherapy is used in conjunction with medication and involves deep analysis and going back over childhood memories. Treatments can be offered over a number of weeks, months or longer depending on how intense the depressive symptoms are. The key to obtaining proper treatment is to seek help as soon as you become concerned.
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There are a number of good self help books and more specifically, books on depression which you may find useful.
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